A sad day for the Shadow

Well, I just posted my final wrap-up of the 2015 iteration of Salt Lake Comic Con, and I now realize that My Own Little Shadow has reached a point requiring a bit of retrospection and introspection.

[Shadow’s note: please bear with me. I will be referencing/linking some previous posts here, but that’s to ensure you get the whole picture of what I’m saying. Thanks]

When I started doing this blog, it was intended to be a platform for me to focus on my writing, maybe put out some humorous observations, etc, etc.

As time has gone on, and My Own Little Shadow has developed, I have found that I very much enjoy the movie reviews, TV reviews, event reviews, and being able to talk about the various creative things out there in pop culture, presented through my own personal, whacked-out filter.

Apparently, I like to hear myself talk, so to speak.

But I do feel like I can help people relate to these things in a way more “academic” or “professional” or whatever reviews might not. I am everyone, and everyone is me, you know?

So I have my followers here, plus those that follow me on facebook, though how many of those actually read every post or simply delete/bypass the notifications, I couldn’t tell you. I get to speak my mind, and occasionally hit on a topic that really gets people going.

I like it.

I have used this platform to apply for, and get, press credentials to the last 5 Salt Lake Comic Con events, the last 3 Comikaze Expo events in LA, and even the last 2 Denver Comic Cons, although I was thwarted in my travel to Denver both times. I have tried to relate my experiences as a fan, so that those who haven’t yet been to the event (or a similar one) might get a sense of the experience, maybe even going so far as to venture out and try it for themselves.

I always try to find the good in an event, but I never ignore the bad. I call it like I see it. Someone asked me this weekend if I felt compelled to give a good review to Salt Lake Comic Con because I had been given a press credential. I told them “of course not!” I’m press, not public relations. It’s not my job to SELL an event; it’s my job to REPORT an event.

It’s not rocket surgery to know the difference.

If you remember THIS RECENT POST (and if you don’t, go read it… duh!), you know that I almost didn’t get press credentials for Salt Lake Comic Con this year. It was a bit more complicated than that, but read the post and you’ll see.

Well, you can imagine my surprise when I ran into a gentleman on Thursday afternoon who had previously had press credentials as well, who works on a fairly large website/podcast with a contributing cast spread across the nation. He congratulated me on getting my credentials, telling me that his crew had been denied, despite 2 of them being prominent enough to be seated on panels for the event!

Apparently, Salt Lake Comic Con has upped their requirements for awarding press credentials to near San Diego Comic-Con levels. I can only conclude that I will not meet those thresholds for future events, and that it was only by my dogged pursuit of an earlier confirmation that allowed me to keep my credentials this time around.

Either that, or they really didn’t want me blowing up the world with the always-effective “no take-backs” argument had they strictly enforced the new requirements.

And it’s not like it’s a big deal for someone like me to have press. If you read THIS POST, you’ll see my revelation of how “advantageous” it really is(n’t) for me to have press credentials. I’m “small press.” I don’t have the clout to get face-time with the big stars and huge draws (Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, etc, from this past weekend). I can try, but without having massive exposure, that’s a tough nut to crack. Small press has to be creative in how we cover these things. For my part, I’m trying to wrangle some “alternate-format” interview, Q&A-type interactions to augment my current coverage.

Even then, rarely do I get a yes; most of the time, it’s a no.

Small press.

But without us small press folks, the fans will be left with only big press, who are (for the most part) more interested in pandering to the event organizers than the fans.

So, while I will dutifully go about applying for credentials once again for March, odds are that I will be denied, unless I can somehow increase my standing/traffic/exposure between now and then. And, while I will do my best to make that happen, it is very difficult to do as the sole content generator, to continually churn out material that resonates. If this was my day-job, perhaps; but, for now, that’s not the case.

That’s not an excuse; that’s just a fact. I need to make people WANT to share my posts, to recommend that people follow My Own Little Shadow. To do all those things that “check the blocks,” as we used to say in the Air Force.

Hell, maybe I even need a little bit of luck.

All I can do is try to continue generating quality posts. Hopefully at a rate that keeps people engaged, keeps them coming back, keeps them thinking, “I can’t wait to see what that idiot is going to post next.”

Until then, will I stop attending events like this? No. I’ll attend, I’ll report, and I’ll attend again. My goals will remain the same: to give the best look I can for the people that want to see it, whether it’s a convention review, a movie review, or a discussion about TV.

If people like it, maybe they’ll share it with their friends, and maybe their friends will stick around for more.

And so on.

There you are. I have my work cut out for me, I think.

I would like to say “thank you” for being here in the shadow with me. I hope you have enjoyed and continue to enjoy your time here.